The participative arts for people living with a dementia: a critical review
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
In the last decade, interest has increased in the role of the participative arts for people who are living with a dementia. The flourishing of this area can be partly understood because of an awareness of the potential for art to deliver health care outcomes. In addition, there is widespread agreement that non-pharmacological interventions are important for people living with a dementia. Therefore, participative arts activities have attracted attention as representing beneficial interventions. This critical review which involved the careful mining of academic and grey literature using replicable search strategies contextualises the participatory arts for people living with a dementia and provides an overview of some of the art orms that are most widely used. The review also highlights some of the extant gaps in the knowledge base. The focus is on the UK context but the role of the participative arts for those with a dementia is equally relevant to practitioners in Europe and the US, and therefore some attention was also given to international literature.
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Since 2020 the International Journal of Ageing and Later Life uses a Creative Commons: Attribution license, which allows users to distribute the work and to reform or build upon it without the author's permission. Full reference to the author must be given.
References
Aadlandsvik, R. (2008). The second sight: Learning about and with dementia by means of poetry. Dementia 7(3): 321–339. doi: 10.1177/1471301208093287
Bannan, N. & Montgomery-Smith, C. (2008). Singing for the brain: Reflections on the human capacity for music arising from a pilot study of group singing with Alzheimer’s patients. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 128(2): 73–78. doi: 10.1177/1466424007087807
Basting, A. (2001). ‘‘God Is a Talking Horse’’: Dementia and the performance of self. The Drama Review 45(3): 78–96. doi: 10.1162/10542040152587123
Basting, A. D. (2009). Forget Memory: Creating Better Lives for People with Dementia. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.
Billington, J., Carroll, J., Davis, P., Healey, C. & Kinderman, P. (2013). A literature-based intervention for older people living with dementia. Perspectives in Public Health 133(3): 165–173. doi: 10.1177/1757913912470052
Burnham, A., Lammy, D., Cayton, H. & Hewitt, P. (2007). A Prospectus for Arts and Health. London: Department of Health.
Buttrick, J., Parkinson, A., Wallis, A., Trentham, S. & Riseborough, M. (2013). What do we know about the role of arts in the delivery of social care? London: Skills For Care.
Camic, P. M. & Chatterjee, H. J. (2013). Museums and art galleries as partners for public health interventions. Perspectives in Public Health 133(1): 66–71. doi: 10.1177/1757913912468523
Camic, P. M., Tischler, V. & Pearman, C. H. (2013a). Viewing and making art together: A multi-session art-gallery-based intervention for people with dementia and their carers. Aging & Mental Health 18(2): 161–168. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.818101
Camic, P. M., Williams, C. M. & Meeten, F. (2013b). Does a ‘Singing Together Group’ improve the quality of life of people with a dementia and their carers? A pilot evaluation study. Dementia 12(2): 157–176. doi: 10.1177/1471301211422761
Castora-Binkley, M., Noelker, L., Prohaska, T. & Satariano, W. (2010). Impact of arts participation on health outcomes for older adults. Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts 4(1): 352–367.
Cayton, H. (2007). Report of the Review of Arts and Health Working Group. London: Department of Health.
Clift, S. (2012). Creative arts as a public health resource: Moving from practice-based research to evidence-based practice. Perspectives in Public Health 132(3): 120–127. doi: 10.1177/1757913912442269
Clift, S., Camic, P. M., Chapman, B., Clayton, G., Daykin, N., Eades, G., Parkinson, C., Secker, J., Stickley, T. & White, M. (2009). The state of arts and health in England. Arts & Health 1(1): 6–35. doi: 10.1080/17533010802528017
Coaten, R. (2002). Movement Matters: Revealing the hidden humanity within dementia through movement, dance and the imagination. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice 1(3): 386–391. doi: 10.1177/1471301213507033
Coaten, R., Heeley, T. & Spitzer, N. (2013). Dancemind ‘s’ moving memories’ evaluation and analysis; a UK based dance and health project for people living with dementia and their care-staff. UNESCO Observatory Multi-Disciplinary Journal in the Arts 3(3): 1–17.
Coaten, R. & Newman-Bluestein, D. (2013). Embodiment and dementia – Dance movement psychotherapists respond. Dementia 12(6): 677–681.
Cohen, G. D. (2009). New theories and research findings on the positive influence of music and art on health with ageing. Arts & Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice 1(11): 48–62.
Cohen, G. D., Perlstein, S., Chapline, J., Kelly, J., Firth, K. M. & Simmens, S. (2006). The impact of professionally conducted cultural programs on the physical health, mental health, and social functioning of older adults. The Gerontologist 46(6): 726–734. doi: 10.1093/geront/46.6.726
Cohen, G. D., Perlstein, S., Chapline, J., Kelly, J., Firth, K. M. & Simmens, S. (2007). The impact of professionally conducted cultural programs on the physical health, mental health, and social functioning of older Adults – 2-Year results. Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts 1(1–2): 5–22.
Cooke, M., Moyle, W., Harrison, S. & Murfield, J. (2010). A randomized controlled trial exploring the effect of music on quality of life and depression in older people with dementia. Journal of Health Psychology 15(5): 765–776. doi: 10.1177/1359105310368188
Craig, C. & Killick, J. (2011). Why creativity and dementia go together. Journal of Dementia Care 19(6): 20–22.
Craig, P., Dieppe, P., Macintyre, S., Michie, S., Nazareth, I. & Petticrew, M. (2008). Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions: New Guidance. London: Medical Research Council.
Davies, C. R., Knuiman, M. & Wright, P. (2014). The art of being healthy: A qualitative study to develop a thematic framework for understanding the relationship between health and arts. British Medical Journal Open 4: 1–10. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-004790.
de Medeiros, K. & Basting, A. (2014). ‘‘Shall I compare thee to a dose of Donepezil?’’: Cultural arts interventions in dementia care research. The Gerontologist 54(3): 344–353. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnt055
Eekelaar, C., Camic, P. M. & Springham, N. (2012). Art galleries, episodic memory and verbal fluency in dementia: An exploratory study. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 6(3): 262–272. doi: 10.1037/a0027499
Fritsch, T., Kwak, J., Grant, S., Lang, J., Montgomery, R. R. & Basting, A. D. (2009). Impact of TimeSlips, a creative expression intervention program, on nursing home residents with dementia and their caregivers. The Gerontologist 49(1): 117–127. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnp008
Gerdner, L. A. (2000). Music, art, and recreational therapies in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. International Psychogeriatrics 12(Suppl S1): 359–366. doi: 10.1017/S1041610200007286
Gilfoy, K. & Knocker, S. (2009). Magic across the generations. Journal of Dementia Care 17(3): 22–25.
Gjengedal, E., Lykkeslet, E., Sørbø, J. I. & Sæther, W. H. (2014). Brightness in dark places’: Theatre as an arena for communicating life with dementia. Dementia 13(5): 598–612. doi: 10.1177/1471301213480157
Glazner, G. (2006). The rhyme and reason of poetry therapy. Care Advantage (Spring): 24–27.
Götell, E., Brown, S. & Ekman, S. (2009). The influence of caregiver singing and background music on vocally expressed emotions and moods in dementia care: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies 46(4): 422–430.
Graham, D. J., Stockinger, S. & Leder, H. (2013). An island of stability: Art images and natural scenes – but not natural faces – show consistent esthetic response in Alzheimer’s-related dementia. Frontiers in Psychology 4(107): 1–8.
Gregory, H. (2011). Using poetry to improve the quality of life and care for people with dementia: A qualitative analysis of the Try to Remember programme. Arts & Health 3(2): 160–172. doi: 10.1080/17533015.2011.584885
Gross, S. M., Danilova, D., Vandehey, M. A. & Diekhoff, G. M. (2013). Creativity and dementia: Does artistic activity affect well-being beyond the art class? Dementia doi: 10.1177/1471301213488899.
Guzmán-García, A., Hughes, J. C., James, I. A. & Rochester, L. (2013). Dancing as a psychosocial intervention in care homes: A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 28(9): 914–924. doi: 10.1002/gps.3913
Halpern, A. R., Ly, J., Elkin-Frankston, S. & O’Connor, M. G. (2008). ‘know what I like’: Stability of aesthetic preference in Alzheimer’s patients. Brain and Cognition 66: 65–72. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2007.05.008
Hanna, G. & Perlstein, S. (2008). Creativity Matters: Arts and Aging in America. Washington, DC: National Center for Creative Aging, Monograph.
Hara, M. (2011). Music in dementia care: Increased understanding through mixed research methods. Music & Arts in Action 3(2): 34–58.
Harries, B., Keady, J. & Swarbrick, C. (2013). The Storybox Project: Examining the Role of a Theatre and Arts-Based Intervention for People with Dementia. Manchester: University of Manchester.
Harrison, S., Cooke, M., Moyle, W., Shum, D. & Murfield, J. (2010). Delivering a music intervention in a randomized controlled trial involving older people with dementia: Musician experiences and reflections. Music and Medicine 2(4): 214–218. doi: 10.1177/1943862110374961
Janata, P. (2012). Effects of widespread and frequent personalized music programming on agitation and depression in assisted living facility residents with Alzheimer-Type dementia. Music and Medicine 4(1): 8–15. doi: 10.1177/1943862111430509
Kaldy, J. (2013). Alternative therapies for a new era of health care. The Consultant Pharmacist 28(2): 84–90. doi: 10.4140/TCP.n.2013.84
Killick, J. (1997). You Are Words. London: Hawker. Killick, J. (2007). Dementia and ‘Meness’. The poetry of Ian McQueen. Alzheimer’s Care Quarterly 8(1): 8–11.
Killick, J. (2008). It moves you, it hits you inside. Reading poems at Redholme. Journal of Dementia Care 16(6): 28–29.
Killick, J. (2012). Working as an Artist with People with Dementia, Briefing Report for National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE). Available on http://www.nawe.co.uk/writing-in-education/writingand-community/artworks/nawe-lab.html
Killick, J. (2013). Dementia Positive. Edinburgh: Luath Press.
Kinney, J. M. & Rentz, C. A. (2005). Observed well-being among individuals with dementia: Memories in the Making©, an art program, versus other structured activity. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias 20(4): 220–227. doi: 10.1177/153331750502000406
Kitwood, T. (1997). Dementia Reconsidered, the Person Comes First. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Knopman, D., DeKosky, S. T., Cummings, J., Chui, H., Corey-Bloom, J.& Stevens, J. (2001). Practice parameter: Diagnosis of dementia: An evidence-based review. Report of the quality standards committee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 56(9): 1143–1153. doi: 10.1212/WNL.56.9.1143
Kontos, P. C. (2005). Embodied selfhood in Alzheimer’s disease: Rethinking person-centred care. Dementia 4(4): 553–570. doi: 10.1177/1471301205058311
Ledger, A. & Edwards, J. (2011). Arts-based research practices in music therapy research: Existing and potential developments. The Arts in Psychotherapy 38(5): 312–317. doi: 10.1016/j.aip.2011.09.001
MacPherson, S., Bird, M., Anderson, K., Davis, T. & Blair, A. (2009). An art gallery access programme for people with dementia: You do it for the moment. Aging & Mental Health 13(5): 744–752. doi: 10.1080/13607860902918207
McFadden, S. H., Frank, V. & Dysert, A. (2008). Creativity in the ‘‘Now’’ of advanced dementia: Glimpses of the lifeworld through storytelling and painting. Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts 2(2): 135–149.
McLean, J. (2011). An Evidence Review of the Impact of Participatory Arts on Older People. London: Mental Health Foundation.
Mello, R. & Voights, J. (2012). The Penelope Project: Using the Power of Myth to Transform Long Term Care. Available on http://www.thepenelopeproject. com/links/materials/penelope-program-evaluation (Accessed: March 18, 2014).
Mirza, M. (ed.) (2006). Culture Vultures: Is UK arts policy damaging the arts? London: Policy Exchange.
Moriarty, J. (2003). Innovative practice. Dementia 2(1): 125–135. doi: 10.1177/1471301203002001613
Moss, H. & O’Neill, D. (2014). The art of medicine: Aesthetic deprivation in clinical settings. The Lancet 383(9922): 1032–1033. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60507-9
Mowlah, A., Niblett, V., Blackburn, J. & Harris, M. (2014). The Value of Arts and Culture to People and Society. Manchester: Arts Council England.
Owen, J. W. (1999). Arts, health and wellbeing: A third way for health? World Hospitals and Health Service: The Official Journal of the International Hospital Federation 35(2): 3–6.
Parkinson, A., Buttrick, J., Wallis, A., Trentham, S. & Riseborough, M. (2013). What Do we Know about the Role of Arts in the Delivery of Social Care? London: Skills for Care.
Parsons, M. (2009). Over the Moon: Effectiveness of Using Interactive Drama in a Dementia Care Setting, Evaluation Report. London: London Centre for Dementia Care.
Povey, S. (2011). Music lessons: Listening with your whole being. Journal of Dementia Care 19(4): 32–33.
Ramsey, P. (2013). Arts and older people strategy 2010–2013, Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Cultural Trends 22(3–4): 270–277. doi: 10.1080/09548963.2013.819660
Renshaw. (2013). Being in Tune, A Provocation Paper: Seeking Ways of Addressing Isolation and Dislocation Through Engaging in the Arts. London: Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Roe, B., McCormick, S., Lucas, T., Gallagher, W., Winn, A. & Elkin, S. (2014). Coffee, cake & culture: Evaluation of an art for health programme for older people in the community. Dementia. doi: 10.1177/1471301214528927. Available on http://dem.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/03/25/1471301214528927 (Accessed: April 14, 2014).
Rose, L. (2008). Music for Life: A model for reflective practice. Journal of Dementia Care 16(3): 20–23.
Rosenberg, F., Parsa, A., Humble, L. & McGee, C. (2009). Meet Me: Making Art Accessible to People with Dementia. New York: Museum of Modern Art.
Ryan, E. B., Bannister, K. A. & Anas, A. P. (2009). The dementia narrative: Writing to reclaim social identity. Journal of Aging Studies 23(3): 145–157. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2007.12.018
Sabat, S. R. (2001). The Experience of Alzheimer’s Disease. Life Through a Tangled Veil. Oxford: Blackwell.
Salisbury, K., Algar, K. & Windle, G. (2011). Arts programmes and quality of life for people with dementia: A review. Journal of Dementia Care 19(3): 33.
Särkämö , T., Laitinen, S., Tervaniemi, M., Numminen, A., Kurki, M.& Rantanen, P. (2012). Music, emotion, and dementia: Insight from neuroscientific and clinical research. Music and Medicine 4(3): 153–162. doi: 10.1177/1943862112445323
Särkämö , T., Tervaniemi, M., Laitinen, S., Numminen, A., Kurki, M., Johnson, J. K. & Rantanen, P. (2014). Cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of regular musical activities in early dementia: Randomized controlled study. The Gerontologist 54(4): 634–650. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnt100
Sherratt, C. (2010). Lighting up: Lessons learned in establishing an arts project. Journal of Dementia Care 18(6): 22–23.
Sherratt, K., Thornton, A. & Hatton, C. (2004). Music Interventions for People with Dementia: A Review of the Literature. Aging & Mental Health 8(1): 3–12. doi: 10.1080/13607860310001613275
Skingley, A. & Vella-Burrows, T. (2010). Therapeutic effects of music and singing for older people. Nursing Standard 24(19): 35–41. doi: 10.7748/ns2010.01.24.19.35.c7446
Smith, N., Waller, D., Colvin, A., Naylor, M. & Hayes, J. (2012). Dance and Dementia Project: Findings from the Pilot Study. Brighton: Unviersity of Brighton.
Spiro, N. (2010). Music and dementia: Observing effects and searching for underlying theories. Aging & Mental Health 14(8): 891–899. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2010.519328
Staricoff, R. L. (2006). Arts in health: The value of evaluation. Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 126(3): 116–120. doi: 10.1177/1466424006064300
Stephan, B. & Brayne, C. (2010). Prevalence and projections of dementia. In M. Downs & B. Bowers (eds.), Excellence in Dementia Care: Research into Practice (pp. 9–35). Berkshire: Open University Press.
Ullán, A. M., Belver, M. H., Badi´a, M., Moreno, C., Garrido, E., Go´mez-Isla, J., Gonzalez-Ingelmo, E., Delgado, J., Serrano, I., Herrero, C., Manzanera, P. & Tejedor, L. (2013). Contributions of an artistic educational program for older people with early dementia: An exploratory qualitative study. Dementia 12(4): 425–446. doi: 10.1177/1471301211430650
van der Geer, E. R., Vink, A. C., Schols, J. M. G. A. & Slaets, J. P. J. (2009). Music in the nursing home: Hitting the right note! The provision of music to dementia patients with verbal and vocal agitation in Dutch nursing homes. International Psychogeriatrics 21(01): 86–93. doi: 10.1017/S104161020800793X
Vink, A. C., Birks, J., Bruinsma, M. S. & Scholten, R. J. P. M. (2006). Music Therapy for People with dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3): CD003477. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003477.pub2.
Zeilig, H. (2014a). Dementia as a cultural metaphor. The Gerontologist 54(2): 258–267. doi: 10.1093/geront/gns203
Zeilig, H. (2014b). Gaps and spaces: Representations of dementia in contemporary British poetry. Dementia 13(2): 160–175. doi: 10.1177/1471301212456276
Zeilig, H., Killick, J. & Fox, C. (2014). Mark Making: A Critical Review of the Value of Arts and Culture for People Living with a Dementia. London: University of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Zeisel, J. (2009). I’m Still Here: A Breakthrough Approach to Understanding Someone Living with Alzheimer’s. New York: Penguin Group (USA).